


Growing up Trixie

by SA_AO3



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Smart Trixie Espinoza, Trixie Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:26:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23612989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SA_AO3/pseuds/SA_AO3
Summary: Children, being innocent, are closest to the original creation. And Trixie's perspective is intriguing: Daughter. Urchin. Her own person.This story picks up after Season 4 finale.
Relationships: Chloe Decker & Mazikeen, Chloe Decker & Trixie Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker/Trixie Espinoza, Dan Espinoza & Trixie Espinoza & Original Charlotte Richards, Trixie Espinoza & Ella Lopez, Trixie Espinoza & Lucifer Moningstar
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	1. The Stars are Out

Now that Maze lived at the Penthouse, Trixie loved staying over when her mum had to go out of town. The library was fantastic. She spent hours reading the first editions - Galileo and the stars. Michelangelo and his flying machines. Astronomers, alchemists, astrophysicists. And that was just the “A”s. 

Chloe was running through her checklist for Maze, “Maze, thank you so much for doing this. Now make sure she’s in bed by 10. That means dinner before 8. No boys. No computer games. No binge watching…”

Maze rolled her eyes, “Decker, I’ve done this before, remember?”

Seeing Chloe relax a little and breathe a sigh of relief, Maze decided to have some fun, saying, “Only now, this is my house, my rules.” She grinned, sharpening her hell knife. 

Chloe laughed, a bit nervously. “Ha. Ah. Ha… what do you mean, exactly… you’re joking, right?” She hesitated, looking around as if she was undecided whether to leave or stay.

Maze, nudged Chloe towards the lift, “We’ll be fine! Go. Have fun! Get some. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With a suggestive smirk, she gave Chloe a final wave, and watched as the lift door opened. Chloe stepped in, frowning, trying to figure out what Maze wouldn’t do. Then realization hit… and she blushed. 

“Bye Mummy!” Trixie dashed to the lift door to give her a hug. “Oh, you feel really hot, Mummy, are you coming down with the flu?” 

Chloe blushed even more, “No monkey, it must be this tee shirt… too thick… warm…,” she spun round in the lift, avoiding her daughter’s sharp eyes. 

Luckily Trixie was too excited by her latest toy. “Bye!” as the lift door closed. 

Trixie ran back to the balcony and clasped her hands round a large top-of-the-range telescope. She peered up at the sky. 

“Ooh, there’s Mercury… there’s Venus… and oh…” She was awestruck. 

The image came in and out of focus. A reddish dot. Mesmerising. 

Maze, “OK kiddo, I know we’re gonna live there one day and you want to gaze on it forever. But chop chop, finish up what you’re doing, we have a schedule to keep.“

Trixie continued to gaze, she was lost in the planets… and her thoughts. 

Her mind went back to that night when Lucifer presented her with a big, weighty box. Her mother had her arms folded, ready to resist whatever Lucifer had planned, “Lucifer, I said no more extravagant gifts, you’ll spoil her.” 

To Trixie, this was familiar ground. Her mother would protest Lucifer’s gifts, then he would say something that made her laugh, and she would be charmed into accepting. 

Lucifer, “So…? What does this “spoiling” mean? He leaned toward her, his finger lightly brushing her nose like he always did when he teased her. She should be used to it by now, but it was like being tickled: somehow it always caught her off-guard. 

Chloe tried to be resolute against his charms and stated, “Well, it means you get what you want, without effort.” 

Lucifer raised his eyebrows and smirked, “That’s me!” His eyes twinkled. “And I know what I want...”, causing Chloe to blush. She felt that cavernous pull in her inner being, somewhere in the infinite space between her heart and mind. 

When Trixie saw Lucifer move closer to her mother, she smiled to herself. “Here we go,” she breathed, predicting correctly, “… in 3, 2, and 1.” 

Lucifer stole a kiss from Chloe, Chloe noticeably melted into his arms, Trixie pretended not to see and she went ahead to open the box. “Wow, cool!” 

Chloe was determined to make her point, disentangling herself, “No, Lucifer.”

He harrumphed, gosh, her mental strength was something else, he thought, muttering under his breath, “… wish you would spoil me.”

Chloe continued, “I don't want her becoming used to having all the nice things. They’re, they’re things. They shouldn’t mean so much. What if… something happens, and…and you don’t have wealth anymore… or, or….” She stops.

Lucifer snorted, “What, not have wealth? Darling, do you know who you’re with?” 

Chloe suddenly went quiet. 

Lucifer realizing that she’s upset, recalled her words and hesitated, “Hang on… what did you mean, ‘Or’. Or what?” 

Chloe suddenly went quiet. “Uh, nothing.” 

Lucifer, “Chloe?” He started to look worried, fighting down the little panic. 

She shook her head, bit her lip. 

There between them both, left hanging like a sock missing its pair, was the unspoken thought: 

What if you come back, and we’re not here anymore? You know, like when we’re gone-gone. 

Meanwhile, Trixie had unpacked the box and was putting together some apparatus.  
“Mum, look!” 

She stepped aside and showed Chloe her handiwork. Chloe pushed away the sad thoughts, and smiled weakly. “Really… um, nice.” She half whispered to Lucifer, “Last one, ok? Please?” Lucifer softened, “of course.” 

For Trixie, it was the most amazing looking telescope she had ever seen. 

Lucifer enjoyed seeing Trixie’s reaction. With an extravagant gesture, he said, “Shall I put it over here?” He lifted it up effortlessly and moved it to the balcony. 

There was a corner that had been redone like a garden grotto. 

Trixie nodded approvingly, “Wow, Lucifer, this is a great setup.” Lucifer gave a little bow. 

Lucifer placed the telescope at a marked spot with a flourish, “How’s this?” 

Trixie tilted her head, squinted at the sky, looked back at the instrument and said, “A bit more to the left, please.” He was facing her, and moved it to his right. 

Trixie, “I mean, your left.” 

He said, “Oh! Right.” 

They both looked at each other, confused. Then realised the silliness, and giggled. 

He pulled out from his pocket a little disc and fitted it onto the lens, “Here you are. A little filter for my little stargazer.” 

Trixie peered through the viewfinder. She gasped, “Awwwwwesome! Thank you Lucifer!” 

Lucifer smiled shyly, “You’re welcome.” He continued under his breath, maybe more to himself than to Trixie, “I did that, you know.” 

He looked at the swirling constellations. 

Trixie said quietly, “Yes. It’s mightily well done, Lucifer.” 

Lucifer looked at Trixie closely. What an odd thing for a young girl to say. 

Where have I heard that before? His eons-old mind asked, searching through the million layers of memories. 

He shook his head, oh well, maybe it will come back to me.

Trixie said, even more quietly, “Thanks Lucifer.”

She didn’t sound so kiddy anymore. There was a long silence which was unusual for the urchin. 

Lucifer looked at her, concerned, “What’s up, child?”

She hesitated and said, “I know you love us and you want to give us things and you’re probably a gazillionaire but Mum and I, we… we don’t want you spending a ton on us.”

Lucifer looked hurt. “Nonsense. I can. And I will.” 

Trixie, “But. Not if it means you have to be away so much.” 

Lucifer frowned, trying to understand. Then his face brightened, could this be the reason? 

He asked, “Oh, do you think my travels are for work?” 

When she nodded, he continued, “As in, to earn money, in exchange for my labour?” 

Trixie nodded again. Lucifer laughed and grinned, “Ah munchkin, you do amuse me.” 

She shrugged, “That’s what I learnt in school.” 

Lucifer chuckled, “Hahah, yes. I suppose so. Now, did they teach you that you have to spend money, to earn money?” 

Trixie tilts her head, makes a face, pretends to think it over, and in a hammy mock-scolding voice said, “Spend time, not money, Lu,” and went back to looking at the stars. 

Lucifer looked at her in puzzlement. 

The next day, still mystified, he confided in Linda, “I can’t imagine where she picked up all these odd phrases… and that nickname.”

He thinks of Azrael, who was always the straggler calling out, “Wait for me, Luuuu!” He chuckled at the memory. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen her for quite a while, was she due for a visit? He couldn’t quite remember. His head was full of earthbound thoughts – Chloe, Trixie, and right in front of him, Charlie. 

He had popped over to visit his nephew and recounted to Linda this latest oddity. Since it wasn’t an official therapy session, Linda paid little attention to what Lucifer was saying. But old habits die hard and her automatic reply was “And how does that make you feel?” 

Meanwhile, she was trying to feed Charlie his broccoli. “Here comes the aeroplane…. Wheeee!” 

Charlie gurgled, his eyes following the flying vegetable, his mouth agape with wonder. His mother quickly plopped one piece into his open mouth and his eyes scrunched up – oh, it tickles. 

Lucifer watched the twirling line of flight. His thoughts zig zagging in and out, “How does it make me feel…?” The thought floated in the air: zigging left… zagging right… your left, my right. How do I feel… hmmm… a-vun-cular…? The word danced in and out, like a waltz of give and take: he giveth, he taketh away.

He giveth Chloe… he taketh away… away that broccoli went... away... uh, what was I was thinking about just now? His mind struggled to think, struggled to form the words. 

The thought quietly faded. The last thing he remembered was “a-vun-cular”… hmm, if that describes “uncle-like”, what is the word for “aunt-like”? He shook his head, trying to remember what had bothered him.


	2. Practice makes Perfect

At the Penthouse kitchen island, Maze was smirking, her face close to a kiwi fruit. She had laid out two egg cups and now with a flourish, placed the fruit into one. “Adios, you weird, green, hairy ball.” She called out, “C’mon, Trix, time for your practice.” 

Trixie had just finished mapping another constellation, with only a few more billion to go. Much as she loved star gazing, she also looked forward to the training with Maze. 

Maze flicked her knives. She jutted her jaw in a tacit nod of respect, “I think you’re ready.” 

Trixie’s eyes widened, “Really?” Maze nodded, “Yea, remember what I told you.” 

Trixie nodded, “Don’t think. Just be.” 

Maze whispered, “Yea. Be the blade. Go where you want to go.” 

Trixie closed her eyes. She took the knives from Maze and they seemed to float in her hands. In her mind, she saw the space around her the same way she saw the skies above. She held out her arms, gave a gentle flick of the wrists, and the knives flew through the air. 

With a curling trajectory, they crossed each other’s path. One knife sliced the kiwi clean through the middle while the other deftly flipped the top half into the second egg cup. Trixie shifted her weight a little to her left as the knives landed back in her hands. 

Maze caught the tiny balance adjustment and nodded approvingly. “Good, you remembered.”

Maze walked over to inspect the target. The cut was clean, no rough edges, “Not bad! Your mum would be proud of you.” 

Trixie was excited, “Really!?” In her enthusiasm, she stuck the two knives into the wooden chopping board, with some force. Maze’s eyebrows shot up. Woah, what’s happening to the kid? 

“Uhh, on second thought, maybe we should uh… back up a bit. You know, don’t tell her yet.” Somehow, Maze had a feeling that Decker wouldn’t be so pleased about her daughter being turned into a mini demon assassin. 

Trixie was crestfallen, “Oh, ok. But when, then?” “

Maze cast around for a long timeline, “Umm, let’s think of something special. How about her birthday?” knowing full well it was more than 3 months away. “You can help her blow out her candles.” She used air quotes for “blow out”. Trixie grinned, “Ah cool! We can practise that, next time.” 

She hopped onto the bar stool, ready to have dinner. Maze looked at her sternly, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” 

Trixie looked sheepish, “Oh ok. Sorry, Maze.” And she gamely pulled out the knives from the chopping board and cleaned them. 

When Maze moved into the Penthouse, she didn’t change the place much. The piano was still there. The library. She set up her special swing outside, near the hot tub. 

There was just an additional feature wall with her implements neatly arranged – small knives at the side for speed, the larger weapons at shoulder height, the spears on top, suspended horizontally. Trixie placed the cleaned knives back in their cradles. 

Then she washed her hands and sat back at her dinner place. 

Trixie looked around the Penthouse. And remembered the first time she’d visited it and got caught up in some drama involving Lucifer, his then-girlfriend Eve, and some thugs.

Lucifer had been the fun uncle figure with a funny accent, strange wit and a super cool vintage sports car. Of course he and Mum had a giant crush on each other, and it took them ages to be together. But now, they were serious most of the time. And sad. Maybe because they were no longer working together. Or because they had been through a lot. 

Yea she was sad about Charlotte too, especially as it made Dad miserable. But she’d grown up in that cop environment, where danger was always lurking, Mum or Dad on the phone, talking about Time of Death or Forensics or Witnesses and Suspects. 

Mum getting injured. Mum getting sick. Dad getting into fights. That awful smelly Malcolm who kidnapped her and brought her to the hangar. 

When her mum came to rescue her, and told her to run, she hadn’t known where to hide, she just ran. Then, she heard a “psst” and a girl not much older than her pointed to a capsule, a remnant of a plane cockpit. She ducked under it and looked back to where she’d run from. 

Her mum had disappeared. Instead, she saw… Lucifer! He was lounging in one corner. And she felt everything would be alright now. She was about to call out to him, but her new friend shook her head, put her finger to her lips to hush her. 

Then she watched Lucifer coming closer to Malcolm without any fear even though Malcolm was waving a gun about. Was Lucifer brave or stupid, or both? Or did he not care at all whether he lived or died, and it was all the same to him? 

Here he was, smoothly talking to Malcolm, and it looked like everything would be ok. But then something went terribly wrong. Malcolm let out a giggle, and shot Lucifer point blank. His body crumpled to the floor. “Lu! “The girl called out and in a blink was by Lucifer’s side. Oddly enough, Malcolm didn’t notice her, so intent was he on finding her mum. “Oh Deck-er,” Malcolm called out. 

Trixie squeezed her eyes and clenched her hands together, repeating, “Get up Lucifer. Get up. Save her. Don’t. Let. Her. Get. Hurt.”


	3. The Comeback

And he did get up. He did. As if nothing had happened. He sat up with a full breath of air and stood up in one smooth gliding movement. He strode up to Malcolm and decked him one. Malcolm staggered back, then the gun shots rang out. Detective Decker, her mother, eyes flashing like an avenging angel, hands steady with the firearm, had shot the bad man dead. 

To Trixie, Lucifer did save her mother. During that split second when she communicated with him, to save her mother, all he had asked of her was, to look after your mother, yea? 

Trixie couldn’t sleep that night. Lingering in her nose was a biting, burning smell. Her mum explained it was probably from the gunshot residue and the plane fuel in the hangar. 

Her mother couldn’t sleep either. The two survivors just sat on the sofa, silent. Just for the sake of doing something, Trixie went to get the tub of ice cream in the fridge, two spoons, and that was their dinner. “Mummy, can we watch just the happy movies? No creepy aliens ok?” 

Chloe nodded, tears in her eyes, and hugged her daughter closer. Trixie wanted to tell her mother about that girl in the hangar, but the thought slipped through, like beach sand through her toes when she stood on the water’s edge. 

The next few days, they didn’t go to work or to school. Her mum was suspended for taking the money out of evidence, her dad was also in some trouble over a gun that was used in a murder. Boy, her parents were badasses. 

Neither of them had the energy to worry about getting Trixie to school or to her music classes. In fact, they clung to her for some normalcy. Tacos. Chocolate cake. Old Tom & Jerry videos. They could handle those things. 

Her parents didn’t stay suspended for long. The mess they were in, were all connected to Malcolm who had gone on a mad killing spree. At the very end, he had kidnapped her, a cop’s kid, so that had skewed all the judgments in favour of Mr and Mrs Espinoza, anxious parents of a very brave young lady. 

As for her new friend, Trixie didn’t see her again. She was probably a rookie cop who had chanced upon Malcolm when the BOLO went out. 

She tried to explain to her mother what had happened in the hangar, but her mum thought she was babbling due to the trauma. Having an imaginary friend at that moment made sense. “Ya baby, uh huh. You were super brave. I’m so proud of you.”

Gradually, things went back to normal, as normal can be. 

Her mother went back to work. Caught some bad guys. Didn’t catch some bad guys. She went from work to home, to work again. Sometimes she brought work home. 

Then a new flame showed up. In fact, two. Charlotte for her dad. Lieutenant Pierce for her mum.

Charlotte was super well put together, always in sharp dresses and statement jewelry. She tried to be nice to Trixie, including her in as many kid-friendly activities as she could. She bought Trixie a dress when they went out on a night at the theatre. Trixie was aghast – the outfit was elegant and expensive, and not at all her style. She fidgeted throughout the performance – she was much more comfortable in a tee shirt and jeans and a pair of stompy boots – but for her dad’s sake, she was polite and tried to enjoy the show. 

Lucifer stopped dropping by. Trixie missed him and his funny quips. 

Pierce on the other hand didn’t bother to bond: he just looked through her. Her mum got all giggly and jumpy whenever he was around. She took to riding back home with him on his motorbike. Ugh. What was she? Sixteen? “Mummy. Where’s your car? That thing is dangerous. Do you know that every year there are thousands of accidents involving bikes?” 

Then, horrors, Pierce turned out to be some underground kingpin. He was killed in a deal gone bad. Really, this was too much. Trixie shut out anything and everything about Pierce. She refused to hear anything her schoolmates had to say. Didn’t pay attention to rumours flying about. 

When Mum suggested going away, Trixie went to Maze’s old room without a word and rolled out two suitcases. They flew to Rome on the next available flight. Her mum hugged her alot. They went to churches alot. Saw the Great Masters’ works. The art was everywhere. She had a great time. From looking down from the heavens while they flew over the Atlantic, to eating the yummy gelato. From walking on cobblestones to scootering on a Vespa. 

Her mum tried to enjoy herself for her sake. Of course Trixie had seen her mother sad and angry before, like when she was splitting from Dad. And dealing with the heartbreaking stories in every of her work cases. But Trixie sensed that this time, things were different. Her mother looked lost, and for the first time, afraid. 

Trixie came back from Rome fitter, taller and tanned. All that walking and climbing up monuments had made her stronger. She was thrilled to join her class again. The bullies had moved on from Pierce to some other shaming topic. Her mother seemed still out of sorts. She couldn’t shake off her nervousness. So, occasionally Trixie stopped by the precinct to catch a ride back, though she was perfectly capable of getting home herself. She was keeping her promise to Lucifer. Look after your mother, yea. 

She waited, like always, in the break room, where she could see into the forensics lab. Today, however, hang on, Ella was talking to someone familiar. 

Could it be? Yea, it was the rookie cop! She was thrilled, now she could thank her properly. 

“Hi!” She called out directly, and stuck her hand out. Ella whipped around, eyes wide and moving her body to block the line of sight, “Heya Trix, whassup?” 

Trixie replied, “I’m saying hi to your friend here, who helped m…” 

Ella turned back, hissing to the person behind her, “Why are you still here?” The person whispered back a reply, “Chill, it’s ok.”

Stepping out of the shadow was a slight figure who put out her hand and said, “Hi Trixie? Nice to meet you, again. I’m Rae-Rae.”


	4. Hell's Heaven

Chloe is asleep in Lucifer’s arms. His wings wrap them both in a protective cocoon. He shouldn’t be so relaxed in hell. But he always feels safe when he is with Chloe. 

Besides, he’d won a decisive victory in the latest rebellion and really, the demons got bored with fighting Lucifer. They like having Lucifer around, he made them laugh.   
Besides, who else was going to be king? Not Dramos, he was a hack. Not Kinley, he was a snobbish hack. And anyway, Lucifer now had unbeatable backup in the form of mighty Amenadiel and militant Remiel. 

So Lucifer allows himself to drift off, breathing in Chloe’s scent which is surprisingly immune to the brimstone and ash. 

Lucifer’s ring is on a plinth that’s just an arm’s length from him. As Lucifer and Chloe doze as one, breathing with the same rhythm and resonance, a shadow emerges from the dark, enveloping the ring. When this form withdraws, the ring is no longer there. 

\----------------

Back on the earthly plane, Trixie is babysitting Charlie while Linda and Amenadiel are out for dinner. 

Looking after Charlie is easy enough. Trixie has fed him dinner, she’ll play with him until he falls asleep. Then she’ll read a book while she waits for Linda and Amenadiel to return. Charlie is such a sweetie, she never has any problems looking after him.

At about 9, Trixie lifts her head up from her book. There’s a whiff of something unpleasant, perhaps it’s from the trash bins outside, finding its way in. “Oh, it must be that loose window catch again.” She gets up, whispering to Charlie, “Hang in there kiddo, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” Lucifer’s English quirks are rubbing off on her. 

As she moves to fasten the catch, there’s a tinkle of glass bottles clinking together when the fridge door opens. Maybe Linda and Amenadiel are back and want a drink from the fridge before joining her in the living room? 

She calls out cheerily, “Back so early?” and heads into the kitchen. 

The fridge door closes and the shadowy form says, “Hullo, twerp, I’m b-a-c-k!” 

Trixie gasps, “You!”

There in front of her, the nightmare of Malcolm, mad Malcolm, looking manic and dangerous, giggling, “Y-e-e-s-s-s... the one and only.” 

“Miss me?” he leers, as Trixie, keeping an eye on him, slowly backs away from the kitchen. 

“Ha ha, thought not. But see, I miss me! I miss life. I miss food.” He closes his eyes and inhales, smelling all the delicious food smells, “Hmmm, wait, wait, Let me have a snack first!” 

Trixie backs off slowly and presses the panic button. A wall panel slides open and she nudges Charlie’s cot into the panic room. The panel slides shut again. Somewhere, Linda’s phone buzzes and lights up. 

Trixie remembers Malcolm being tricky. So she doesn’t turn her back to him. 

Meanwhile, Malcolm is rambling about hell and what went on there. The kitchen becomes a mess as he pulls out tubs and boxes. Bananas, ice cream, maple syrup are strewn around. 

Malcolm calls out, “I hear from the fellas down there that there’s an angel baby here. Is that you, darlin’?” 

Trixie tries to remember where Maze’s knives are, hidden around the house. Trixie silently counts to ten. Think. Under the credenza. She runs across the living room and snatches the knife from the hiding place. Where else, where else. Ah by the shoe rack. She reaches down and grabs the second weapon.

When she turns around, Malcolm is four steps away from her. 

“Your. Mother. See? She had it in for me since the beginning… And then! And then! She. Killed. Me. Sent me back to hell. Well, I’m back and I want to make her suffer, see? Like I’m suffering there, no burgers, no tacos…GET IT HUH HUH?!” He’s stuffed his mouth with a giant burrito, and cheese bits and onions fly out as he rants. He’s torn between eating, and giving chase. 

Two minutes. Two minutes before help comes. She’s got to distract him. 

Trixie runs out of the house to draw him into the open, away from Charlie. 

She looks at the night sky. Ah, the mystery that Lucifer had opened up to her. The constellations so mightily well done. 

She hears Malcolm come out to the porch. She closes her eyes and breathes. “Don’t think. Just be. Be the knife.” 

She flicks the knives like she’s done so many times. She’s aiming for his legs so he can’t move. She hears him yell in pain. And she feels relieved, “Got him!”, giving a silent thanks to Maze for her lessons. 

But Malcolm, devious Malcolm, is bluffing of course. 

Before she realizes what has happened, he’s right in front of her. And he laughs and giggles, “Haha haha, heeee heee, lookee here!” 

He holds out the knives and does the little practiced flick. “See, these are from Hell, they come to me!”

She tries to run but he’s too fast for her. He grabs her with one arm. She’s about to stomp on his feet. He raises the other arm and Lucifer’s ring glints in the pale moonlight. Trixie recognizes the ring and hesitates, “Lucifer?” He brings the knife down on her. 

There’s a swish of wings and a heavy crunch as Amenadiel crashes Malcolm to the ground. 

When Malcolm comes to, catching his breath, he laughs, “Hey didn’t I kill you the last time, with one of these?” He swings at Amenadiel, who promptly swats the knife away. 

Amenadiel pins him down and bashes him. 

Linda who has run in to check on Charlie, returns to the scene. She realizes who they are dealing with, “Is that Malcolm? From before?” 

Amenadiel is repulsed by what he’s doing. He stops momentarily, while Malcolm taunts him, “What’s the matter, angel boy? Rules, smules! Hahahah. Still too chicken to kill a human?”

Linda, with a cold fury that chills even Amenadiel, “You’re not human. And I don’t have a problem. Nope.” She draws out her gun and pulls the trigger. 

Malcolm drops to the ground, and Lucifer’s ring slips from his finger, clattering to the ground. 

She nudges the body with her shoe. “Yup, dead.” Then she picks up the phone to call 911.

Later that night…. At the hospital, the doctors are puzzled but not too concerned about their young patient. “She’s just got some scratches, doesn’t look serious. But she’s got a slight fever which we can’t figure out yet. Maybe it’s the trauma. We’ll keep her here until we know for sure.” 

Since it’s not serious, her parents are advised to go home and rest. The friends volunteer to take turns, Maze first, then Ella. Then Chloe and Dan would be back in the morning. 

Maze stands watch like a sentinel, her eyes flickering from her young friend, to the monitors beeping the life signals.

When Maze’s shift is over, Ella arrives with all her stayover stuff. She sets up her little nest, her petite frame fitting comfortably into the room’s sofa. Headphones on, magazines stacked, thermos flask filled with hot coffee. Snacks laid out. She snuggles under her blanket and before long, she is nodding off. 

A minute or two later or maybe ten, Rae Rae taps Ella on the shoulder waking her up from the dreamy half-sleep state, “Hey Ella.” 

Ella sees Trixie behind Rae Rae and responds sleepily, “Hey Trix, you’re up? Great, great.” 

Rae Rae says to Ella, “Heyy, I’ll just take over for now, ok?” Ella, lulled as if in a dream of cotton candy and rainbows, nods agreeably, “Mmm.”

Trixie leans over to give Ella a big, long Ella hug. She’s gotten so tall that she looks like the grown up, and Ella, the child. She leaves the room with Rae Rae.


End file.
